Hot peppers to deter pests

So 've gotten a ton of hot peppers including thai, habanero, and ghost. I want to separate out the seeds before I dry them to try and control the spice level.

I'm thinking of saving all the seeds and sprouting them for the spring to plant throughout my permaculture garden.

How are hot pepper plants at deterring pests in the garden? Will the high levels of capsaicin deter deer, rodents, and insects? Or will they just eat around them?

I have used them for years. They seem to work.  Lately, I pop the extra peppers in a blended with water and spray the solution on the wood around my raised beds, on the ground around my bee hives etc.  I spray melons, corn, etc as well.  Just remember to wash things off before you use them.

Thanks John,

Yeah I've seen lots of things about using hot pepper sprays to control pests, but here I'm asking more about companion planting.

So does growing the pepper plants themselves near other plants help?

Sorry. I have never tried companion planting hot peppers to deter pests.  I am skeptical, but ....maybe...

It might work against some pests, but some pests attack pepper plants. I would remember that before placing too much faith in them. I would plant them for their own value, and happily accept any side benefits they may happen to bestow.

I think John's right about both things.  The pepper spray is a deterrent. And plants themselves probably aren't.


One year, squirrels decimated my whole garden.  All I had left was one lonely habanero.  I was going to pick it but a squirrel ran up and grabbed that too.  It took a big chomp and then stopped.  It started quivering.  Then it hopped around all crazy, leaping in the air to bat at its mouth as it ran away.

Seeing that was almost worth losing the garden.